Samadhi can unlock what are called "siddhis" or divine powers. These powers are perceived through direct experience, bypassing the need for measurement or analysis. Unlike logical reasoning, math, or science, siddhis are not products of thought, but rather a form of direct awareness. However, this direct experience is not always perfect. It can be flawed or misinterpreted. Imagine someone with a bit of precognition. They enter a deep meditative state and see a specific event happening to another person in the future. Based on this vision, they believe the event is set in stone. Let us say they foresee someone falling into a latrine on a particular date. As that date approaches, they see the person heading towards the latrine. But instead of the predicted mishap, the person with the vision stumbles and falls in themself!
Why does the future sometimes remain unpredictable, even for those with extraordinary powers? The answer lies in the very nature of these abilities. Divine powers, when unstable and unclear, can lead to flawed interpretations. Consider even Maudgalyayana, the Buddha's disciple revered for his unmatched divine powers. He himself made critical mistakes twice.
In one instance, King Ajatasatru, embroiled in a war, sought Maudgalyayana's help. He implored the revered disciple to use his powers to foresee the victor. Maudalyayana obliged, and based on his vision, declared the King destined for victory. Given the circumstances at the time – the prevailing situation and morale – it certainly appeared to be a sure win. However, the very act of revealing this future became a variable, ultimately altering its course.
Unlike the Buddha's profound wisdom, Maudgalyayana simply relayed the vision he saw with honesty and directness. King Ajatasatru, upon hearing this prediction of victory, became complacent. He entrusted the entire war effort to his ministers, neglecting any serious preparations. Meanwhile, the news reached the opposing king. He interpreted Maudgalyayana's words as a guaranteed loss. Faced with what he believed to be an inevitable defeat, he rallied his troops for a glorious last stand. His soldiers charged with reckless abandon, determined to die with honor. King Ajatasatru's lack of preparation proved disastrous. With only his ministers leading the battle, their forces lacked proper logistics and strategy. Unsurprisingly, they were swiftly and utterly defeated. In the aftermath, a bitter King Ajatasatru went to the Buddha and blamed Maudgalyayana for the loss, accusing him of the misleading pronouncement.
Maudgalyayana's divine powers were not necessarily faulty. The issue might lie in the very act of revealing the future, which could alter its course. However, there is another possibility: the divine perception itself could be flawed. How so? Even though Maudgalyayana possessed the greatest divine powers among the Arhats, they were not infallible. Unlike ordinary people's Qigong, which is mostly unreliable or downright nonsense, Maudgalyayana's powers were far more potent. Yet, even the most exceptional abilities can be imprecise on occasion.
A farmer had a cow that was about to give birth, so he asked Maudgalyayana whether it would be a male or female calf. Maudgalyayana confidently declared that it would be a male calf. However, when the calf was born, it was female. What went wrong? It is possible that Maudgalyayana used his divine vision, but his level of mastery was not sufficient. The cow's tail blocked the crucial reproductive organs, leading him to believe it was a male calf based on the tail. In reality, it was a female calf. The farmer then went to the Buddha to complain.
At the time, there was another practitioner who, based on the symptoms described in a book, observed the cow's behavior during the birth of a male calf and a female calf. Combining his observations, he concluded that the calf would be female. This practitioner argued with Maudgalyayana, but the cow's owner believed that Maudgalyayana possessed supreme divine powers and could not possibly be wrong compared to a mere bookworm. In the end, the bookworm's prediction proved correct.
Even Maudgalyayana's extraordinary divine powers had their limits, as this incident reveals. We previously mentioned that divine perception can be either valid, offering a clear view, or invalid, leading to inaccuracies.
Excerpted from: Cognition and Expression Part Two
